The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-01-13
HOUSE.

Mr. Collins Of Massachusetts,, from the ju-
dietary committee, called up the bill provid-
ing for an additional circuit judge In the sec
Ond judicial district. Mr.. Collins stated that
an additional Judge was imperatively de-
manded on account of the large number OF
customs cases which are required to be ad-
justed.
- The House then proceeded to the consider
alton OF tffes- .--stSsspnds antl-polygamy bill
and the Tucker substitute tife-efnr.
After the reading Of both measages,,M Mt
E. b. Taylor of Ohio gave a brief sketch OF
the establishment of the Mormon church in
Utah and the efforts made by Congress to
suppress the practice OF polygamy. Its
friend, the Legislature Of Utah, would not
strangle it, but Congress must and FORUM
ately Congress could.
Mr.. Carne of Utah earnestly opposed the
measure as undemOcratic In America and
wantOnly destructive OF human rights, and
because it set at naught the principles upon
which the common rights OF man were
grounded and turned the MormOns and their
church over to Unsuitable spoilers.
Mr.. Reed of Maine said he was believer
in local self-government He was also be-
lever In government by the people, and he
looked upon the tendency OF modern times
with great distrust-tbe tendency TO take
from the people their power Of frequent ex-
animation into acts of their officials. He
believed biennial elections and quadrennial
gbvernOrships were an invention to deprive
the people Of that power and offered prizes
to be captured by corruption Of official life.
The right of self-g0vernment was right
which existed in States, which belonged to
the inhabitants of the States and which the
Constitution declared Congress should guar
antee TO the States. But the territory owned
by the United States occupied an entirely
different relation. and the government might
have future desire to make out
of a territory of the United States State
to be admitted into the Union, but in the
meantime Congress had a right to make
rules and regulations for Territories. IL 1t
were an unadjudiciated question it might be
doubtful whether Congress had right to
delegate that power. But temporary power
had been given to the inhabitants of Terrific
ries, not as a right but as privilege. As to
the Territory of Utah he was not sure that
the wisest course would not be for Congress
to take complete control of that Territory,
and why that Territory? A long tine ago
a body of religionists had taken possession
of certain property belonging to the United
States. twas not only body Of religion
lists. 1t was people that had policy. That
was the keynote OF the situation. They
intended to people that Territory exclusively
with Mormons and segregate to themselves
as separate land portion of the property
of the United States that hierarchy had been
kept up ever since. Their organization was
an organization inside Of the United States
and controlling one Of It's Territories.
on a religion; il was an assault upon band
of men organized for the purpose of exclu7
sively controlling a Territory which be-
longed to the people of the United States.
Today Congress was roofing out an unjust
possession of the soil that belonged to the
people, and that should have been open and
free to them all. Polygamy was only one Of
the manifestations of the bad condition Of
society in that Territory. 1t might be asked
why we did not let them carry out the prin-
ciples that actuate them. Because some day
or other these people might be admitted into
fellowship in the States, and while he recog-
nized to the fullest extent the right Of
local self-government and the right OF pres
ervation Of local institutions, while he
deemed that right one of the strongest bul-
warks of liberty, nevertheless this country
must be in the main homogeneous In thought
and feeling If it was to be strong nation.
Differences that were to be tolerated must
be kept within reasonable limits which
would still enable the nation to be united in
thought and feeling against all exterior OPP
position.
The House substitute was then agreed TO
and the Senate bill as thus amended was
passed without division, only eight members
rising to the demand foriyeas and nays.
The House then at $50 o'clock adjourned